Book 5: Chapter 152: s.h.i.+zurus Defeat

Ayaka1 watched the little girls slim figure and revealed some pity in her eyes as she nodded, Judge Sasakis request is reasonable and theres a precedent too I allow the suspension of the match.

Hmph! How troublesome. Theres no need to change. Why dont you just concede instead? Shenzu stated icily.

s.h.i.+zuru withdrew to the arenas edge, where a bunch of maids had come over in haste lest s.h.i.+zuru was disqualified for getting down the arena. The Taira clan didnt dare to take that risk. The maids pulled a cloth open and hid s.h.i.+zuru behind it in all directions so that she could change into a new pair of clothes.

How embarra.s.sing! Sadamori parroted. He felt discontent with s.h.i.+zuru for a long time now and had to keep his mouth shut because of her talents. The Taira clan had failed to produce any younger generation who was comparable to her, and this made them place high hopes on her. However, he hardly cared about any of that right now and reprimanded her right in front of everyone.

s.h.i.+zuru changed into a beige formal kimono dotted with dark flowers. Her breaths were still rushed, and her face lit up with humiliation and denial as she knew she couldnt afford to lose this match.

If she lost, all the pains she had gone through would become a matter of ridicule through gossip.

Judge Sasaki requested the maids to go down the arena once s.h.i.+zuru had finished dressing and raised the flag once again, Continue the match!

s.h.i.+zuru flashed towards Shenzu valiantly. Shenzus domain worked in strange ways, so her only chance at victory was to approach her. However, Shenzu withdrew her domain.

Have you had enough, or do you want more, little girl?! Shenzu welcomed s.h.i.+zurus advance with a slas.h.!.+

s.h.i.+zuru side-stepped swiftly and stabbed back simultaneously, to which Shenzu countered with a horizontal slas.h.!.+ Shenzus blades were long and adequately fast, so s.h.i.+zuru was forced to jump back diagonally and move out of the blades range.

Did you think you could defeat me in a match with real blades? Its my turn to attack you now!

Bzzt!

An enigmatic, runic circle manifested over Shenzus head, and a spirit arm appeared from within, a gold-hilted blade with numerous luminescent spirit runes converging around its hilt secured in its grip.

Sasaki observed the blade meticulously, noticing that the arm had been constructed from Shenzus spirit power through arcane means. The mystic sword masters from the ancient times also used such techniques, and they were cla.s.sified under mystic sword arts, so it wasnt against the rules to use it.

Shenzus speed boosted up greatly as she charged towards s.h.i.+zuru with a powerful, phantasmic blue aura oozing out of her.

She drew both her nodachis ambidextrously, delivering continuous strikes to s.h.i.+zuru who didnt dare to receive them fully and warded the strikes off by brus.h.i.+ng them away with exquisite control.

I must admit that s.h.i.+zurus sword skills are truly remarkable. Shes a real genius! Lily exclaimed in admiration multiple times down the arena.

However, the spirit arm holding the third blade made a sudden move in the next moment, striking down at her from the sky!

Clang!

A powerful surge of energy flooded through s.h.i.+zuru, knocking her down to the floor and smas.h.i.+ng it as she bounced back up.

What?! Lily was astounded by the spirit arms strength as she was expecting it to only have strength equivalent to that of an average slender-handed mans arm and not an amount that was much greater than Shenzus strikes!

Shenzu acted without mercy and kicked s.h.i.+zuru as she tried to stand up.

Bam!

s.h.i.+zuru flew like a kite and spun in the air, throwing up blood as she employed her domain to create a barrier and crashed into it, landing right at the edge of the arena and barely managing to evade defeat.

So youre only this strong, huh? If you have any ultimate move left, its time to use it now, genius, Shenzu smirked icily.

s.h.i.+zuru got up feebly, You want to see my ultimate? Hmph! I just didnt want to kill you. Everyone whos seen it before you have all died, so you better not force me to use it.

Oooohhhh, Im so scared, Shenzu mocked coolly.

How dare you insult me! A starlight-like aura oozed out from s.h.i.+zuru as she threw away her wakizas.h.i.+s willingly.

Huh? Shenzu was taken aback by this.

In the next moment, two s.h.i.+ning machetes with starlight flowing within them manifested in s.h.i.+zurus hands. The blades of these machetes possessed a broad and warped form, completely different from any kind of katanas. However, the desolate aura within the blades affected all the spectators.

What?! T-Thats Sadamori almost pulled out his beard in a fit of fury!

It was no mortal weapon!

Its Racc.o.o.n Star Splitter! Sadamori shot up in fury and cursed at her with no regards to his reputation, Bitch! How dare you steal the treasured sword enshrined in the Taira clans Racc.o.o.n Mita Temple!

According to the legends, the Taira forces had encountered an unkillable monster during their expedition back when the monsters in the Taira clans lands were sowing chaos. Taira no Kiyomori killed the monster eventually by obtaining this blade from his visit to the Mita Temple.

The treasured sword was usually enshrined in the temple as it was the Taira clans legacy treasure. He had never imagined that s.h.i.+zuru had actually stolen it.

Ayaka sighed from her seat, This Racc.o.o.n Star Splitter really isnt an item of the mortal world. Now that I think about it, s.h.i.+zuru probably learned her arts from Racc.o.o.n Mitathe sole living sacred relic in this world! Its no wonder that she became the best talent of the Taira clan despite being unloved.

The Left Imperial Guards Commander, Taira no Mori, who was the strongest samurai of the clan outside of the court, pulled Sadamori back to his seat, Please calm down, sir. I agree that s.h.i.+zuru deserves severe punishment for stealing the treasure, but this is an internal matter of our clan. Shes dueling with an outsider as the clans representative right now, so lets allow her to focus on the duel for now. Its not too late to discuss this after we return.

Shenzu remained unfazed even after seeing s.h.i.+zurus blades, Youre really a little kid. How could you steal? Look how youve tarnished the Taira clans reputation.

Shut it! I must win this tournament! I cant afford to lose now that Ive come so far, and Ill do whatevers required to achieve my goals! s.h.i.+zuru shot towards Shenzu with the treasured blades in hand.

Bzzt!

The instant Shenzus blade clashed with s.h.i.+zurus Racc.o.o.n Star Splitter, a terrifying power invaded Shenzus body!

The rain of light was akin to infinitesimal exploding stars as it shredded most of Shenzus dress apart! However, s.h.i.+zuru also got blown away by the h.e.l.lish energy from Shenzus blade and crashed down.

Shenzus black undergarments below her bountiful bosom and skirt were partly exposed now.

Heh! Youre no different than me! s.h.i.+zurus dress had become tattered once again, so she felt a vengeful pleasure when she saw the same happening to Shenzu this time because of her attack. She charged towards Shenzu with renewed momentum!

Blood seeped out from Shenzus lips as she retreated swiftly, looking at the blades in s.h.i.+zurus hands with astoundment. Her strength far exceeded s.h.i.+zurus, yet the blades strength was much more powerful than hers, even exceeding the grade 9 blade that Rokuhara had entrusted to her!

Just what kind of weapon is this Racc.o.o.n Star Splitter?!

Shenzu put up a fierce resistance towards s.h.i.+zurus relentless charge.

Boom!

The energy fluctuations from the clas.h.i.+ng blades sent the duo repelling back. The floor on which Shenzu stood had a long fissure on it as she slid a few meters back.

As for s.h.i.+zuru, she got blown away and fell down to the floor once again.

Lily was amazed by this and remarked internally, In terms of strength, s.h.i.+zurus much weaker than Shenzu, but these blades are so powerful that theyve elevated her level to contending against Shenzu. No wonder she considers them her ultimate move.

However, s.h.i.+zuru had still suffered Shenzus attack in the process. Although they had wounded each other, it was natural that her injuries were graver than Shenzus because of her lack of strength.

I I cant lose! I want to be free! s.h.i.+zuru had never been satisfied with the bountiful life she had received as the young miss of the Taira clan and had pursued ascension with all her heart. However, the conservative Taira clan had shown her no support at all. As such, she had firmly rejected the marriage proposal and also offended the current emperor, incurring the hate of the Taira clans upper echelon in the process.

She had experienced countless perils and committed taboos under the direction of Racc.o.o.n Mita and had finally reached a stage where her future would be in her hands. If she were to lose now, her feelings of yearning for freedom and chivalry would all turn into nothing.

She would become the laughingstock of the Taira clan and gain the moniker of a useless woman! Thats how the Taira clan had always operatedthey never cared about women!

I cant lose! s.h.i.+zuru mustered all of her remaining spirit power and infused them into her blades, making them s.h.i.+ne like the stars. In the next moment, she shot towards Shenzu like a comet pursuing its dreams!

I dont care even if I die along with you! I just cant lose this time! s.h.i.+zurus dual blades directed all of their terrifying power towards Shenzu!

Bam!

The dual blades struck the spirit arm and the ma.s.sive energy fluctuations involved turned the spirit arm unstable, giving rise to a tiny crack on the grade 9 blade. However, s.h.i.+zuru also spouted blood from the damage caused to her by Shenzus h.e.l.lish energies and felt her vision turn into fragmentary blurs.

As for Shenzu, she had long taken to the sky and landed beside s.h.i.+zuru before smas.h.i.+ng her head and back repeatedly with her blades golden hilts.

Bam!

s.h.i.+zuru got pounded into the floor ruthlessly and a crater cropped up on it following an explosion.

s.h.i.+zurus body had numbed so much that she couldnt feel anything by now and her vision was still spinning. She reached out with her shuddering hand when she saw the hilt of her blades on the rubble ahead of her, I-Ive come so far I cant lose now

Shenzus foot stepped on s.h.i.+zurus hand as she pressed her blades against the latters neck.

Give up the match, or else Ill have to kill you, Shenzu stated icily.

s.h.i.+zuru was still conscious, so the judge couldnt end the match unless she conceded.

I-I cant lose Ive already committed so many wrongs. If I dont win, Ill

As the ice-cold dual blades pressed into her neck, s.h.i.+zuru felt a s.h.i.+ver pa.s.s through her back and broke into tears at the last moment, Please dont kill me I dont want to die sob sob

s.h.i.+zuru conceded when faced with the reality of death and exposed her weakness.

T-Taira no s.h.i.+zuru forfeits the match. The winner isNanas.h.i.+! The judge raised the flag solemnly.

Shenzu sheathed her blades, The reason I let you live isnt because Im kind. Its because theres one person I really want to kill!

Shenzu directed a grudgeful glance at Lily who was beneath the arena and walked away.

Forfeit It was quite possible that this humiliating word would bring an end to the legend of this little girl from the Taira clan.

s.h.i.+zuru had already used extreme means in her pursuit of victory. She lowered her head to cover her face with her hair and lay down on the arena, sobbing continuously. She couldnt muster the courage to stand back up and confront the publics gaze.

Two attendants approached her and pulled her away, dragging her down the arena.

Bam!

s.h.i.+zuru kicked out at the stone pillar on the arenas edge in an act of desperation in the final moment, seemingly unwilling to let them carry her away like a loser.

However, it was a meaningless act.

When an ordinary person meets a genius, most of them become stepping stones for the genius legend. But when two geniuses meet, one of them loses their momentum in the end.

The public finds it natural when an ordinary person loses to a genius. But when a genius loses, they become the laughingstock of the whole world, and their glorious feats of the past become topics of ridicule. This was the fate of a genius.

Robinxen: Ive been playing too much Gens.h.i.+n.